Electronic Recycling
with WRWA
By Jon
Alden
EverythingWestport.com
Saturday,
May 3, 2008
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Old
computers, printers, scanners, and television sets (you know, those big bulky
things with a CRT!) took their final curtain call as the Westport River
Watershed Alliance sponsored Electronic Recycling
Day at Westport Town Hall. With
technology moving at the lightning-paced rate that it is, gadgets that seemed
essential two years ago are now just taking up space.
“I’ve had these things hanging around the house for years,” said Jack
Porter of Westport. He and his wife Judy unloaded their trunk and added to the
mountain of devices already collected by Complete Recycling Solutions, LLC. “I saw the article in the paper, so I came on
down.” Learn more about CRS, LLC.
From 10
a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, the Westport River Watershed Alliance hosted a
recycling pickup for unloved electronics in the back of Westport Town Hall.
The event was a big success last year, and Complete Recycling Solutions from
Fall River came back again this year with two
trucks to take unwanted electronic equipment away, at special discounted
rates, and dispose of them properly. CRTs(computer monitors), computers,
smoke detectors, mercury devices, faxes, and printers, microwaves, televisions of
all sizes, lead and lithium batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and other select
items were accepted at varying prices.
I know it’s
hard for all you Apple Computer users out there, but, yes, a few older Apple
PCs were discarded without a proper burial (see picture above, second from right)! WRWA volunteers leading the
recovery charge are pictured above from
left to right: Charlie Gerrior, Catherine
Williams, Mary Ellen Kennedy, Jaimie Holmes, and Jim Whitin.
An associate of CRS (left) explained that the recovery process for
fluorescent bulbs involved removing the tungsten tips and sucking out the
mercury, which is then baked and rendered harmless to the environment. The
glass is then ground up and recycled.
Lees Market
had donated 100 reusable shopping bags for recyclers at the event, and many
came early to beat the rush and get a bag. 70 people had been environmentally
responsible by 11a.m., and their offerings filled many 4’x4’x4’ cardboard
containers; obsolete carnage of the computer age. “It’s cathartic,” Jim Whitten
said. “People want to get rid of their old stuff.”
For more
information about this event call Charlie Gerrior at
(508) 636-3016. You can also visit their website at www.wrwa.com. See the
table below for a complete price list.
The
recovery effort was a huge success. Pictured above: (left) this year; and
(right) last year!
|
Lamps - Straight Fluorescent |
$0.50 |
Per lamp |
|
Lamps - U-tubes, Circline Fluorescents
|
$0.50 |
Per lamp |
|
Lamps - HID, Mercury Vapor, Metal Halide, HPS
|
$1.00 |
Per lamp |
|
Lamps - Broken/Crushed Incidental |
$2.25 |
Per lb |
|
Lamps - Specialty UV Fluorescent |
$2.00 |
Per lamp |
|
Battery - Lead-Acid/Gel Cells, Wet/Dry |
$4.00 |
Per unit |
|
Battery - Nickel Cadmium/Nickel Metal Hydride |
$4.00 |
Per unit |
|
Battery - Lithium, Silver Oxide, Mercury |
$4.00 |
Per unit |
|
Battery - Alkaline |
$1.00 |
Per unit |
|
Lighting Ballast |
$4.00 |
Per unit |
|
CRT’s/Monitors |
$5.00 |
Per unit |
|
CPU's/Printers/Fax/Etc. |
$5.00 |
Per unit |
|
Smoke/Fire Detectors |
$5.00 |
Per unit |
|
Televisions - < 27" |
$15.00 |
Per unit |
|
Televisions - > 27" |
$25.00 |
Per unit |
|
MCMA - Thermostats, Mercury Devices |
$5.00 |
Per unit |
|
Microwaves |
$10.00 |
Per unit |
|
Air Conditioners - Small |
$20.00 |
Per unit |
|
UPS Battery Back-up System |
$8.00 |
Per unit |
|
Cell Phones |
$2.00 |
Per unit |
|
Answering Machines |
$5.00 |
Per unit |
|
Elec. Equip. - Hard Drive Destruction |
$5.00 |
Per unit |
|
Irons |
$2.00 |
Per unit |
Epilogue
Electronic Recycling Day a Success
We had a very successful 2nd annual
Electronics Recycling Day on May 3rd this year, despite rainy weather. How much
was recycled, you ask? A grand total of 1, 078 pounds of electronics was
collected at Town Hall: 212 alkaline batteries, 172 computers and faxes, 92
computer monitors, 23 televisions, 5 fluorescent lamps, 3 car batteries, 2
microwaves, 4 UPS batteries, 1 air conditioner, and 1 iron.
There are
many people to thank for this event. Hats off to Complete Recycling Solutions
of Fall River, MA for being there to load the equipment on the trucks, keep
things in order, and take all of the electronics away to be disposed of
properly. Applause to Lucy Chase for setting up this momentous
event. Two truckloads of electronics were recycled. And a big thanks to
Lees Market for donating 100 reusable shopping bags for the recyclers. In
addition to our wonderful WRWA volunteers, we were
very pleased to have Jamie Holmes from the Westport High School Key Club at the
event to help with everything. Huge thanks to everyone who showed up that day
to recycle their old electronics. - Charlie Gerrior,
WRWA
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